Grilling Fresh Mackerel: A Bbq Delight

how to cook fresh mackerel on a bbq

Mackerel is a delicious and healthy fish that is perfect for a barbecue. It has a distinctive flavour and is packed with omega-3 fatty acids. In this guide, we will take you through the steps to barbecue a whole mackerel, including how to prepare the fish, what to look for when buying fresh mackerel, and some serving suggestions.

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How to prepare mackerel for cooking

Preparing mackerel for cooking is a simple process, but it's important to ensure the fish is fresh. When buying mackerel, look for bright, shiny, and slightly iridescent skin with a firm texture. The eyes should be clear and bulging, the gills a vibrant red or pink, and the flesh moist and resilient. Fresh mackerel should also have a clean, ocean-like smell.

Once you've selected your mackerel, here's how to prepare it for cooking:

  • Rinse the fish under cold water to remove any residual scales or blood.
  • If the mackerel hasn't been gutted, make a shallow cut along the belly from head to tail, then remove the entrails and rinse the cavity thoroughly.
  • Pat the fish dry with paper towels. This step is important to ensure a crispy finish when cooking.
  • Depending on your recipe, you can now leave the mackerel whole, fillet it by cutting along the backbone and removing the bones, or portion it into steaks.
  • For added flavour, you can marinate or season the fish with spices and oils before cooking.
  • If grilling whole mackerel, make sure the fish has been scaled and gutted.
  • Create some slits in the flesh to allow seasoning and basting juices to penetrate the meat.
  • Season the fish with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon.
  • If using a charcoal grill, light it and allow the flames to die down until the ashes turn white.
  • Since mackerel is an oily fish, you don't need to baste it with oil, but you can if you prefer.

By following these steps, you'll be well on your way to cooking delicious, flavourful mackerel.

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How to check if mackerel is fresh

When selecting mackerel, it is important to ensure that it is fresh. Here are some detailed steps to check its freshness before cooking:

Appearance:

Firstly, examine the appearance of the mackerel. Fresh mackerel should have bright, shiny, and slightly iridescent skin with a firm texture. The skin of the fish should look vibrant and not dull or discoloured.

Eyes:

Check the eyes of the mackerel. Clear and bulging eyes are a sign of freshness. Avoid fish with sunken or cloudy eyes.

Gills:

Look at the gills of the mackerel. They should be a vibrant red or pink colour. Avoid fish with dull, brown, or overly slimy gills.

Flesh:

Feel the flesh of the mackerel. Fresh mackerel should have moist and resilient flesh. Press your finger gently onto the fish to ensure it feels firm and springs back, rather than being soft or mushy.

Smell:

Lastly, smell the mackerel. Fresh mackerel should have a clean, ocean-like smell. Any strong, fishy, or sour odours indicate that the fish is not fresh and should be avoided.

By following these steps and paying close attention to the appearance, texture, and smell of the mackerel, you can ensure that you are selecting the freshest fish for your barbecue. Remember, it is always important to handle and store the fish properly to maintain its freshness until you are ready to cook it.

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Marinating and seasoning mackerel

Next, you'll want to create a marinade. A simple combination of lemon juice, olive oil, and crushed garlic with a pinch of salt and pepper is a great option, but you could also try something more complex, like a punchy soy, honey, ginger, and sake marinade. Whisk the marinade together, pour it over the fish, and turn the fillets to ensure they are fully coated. Cover the dish and leave the mackerel to marinate for 15-20 minutes, or up to 24 hours if you have the time.

If you're barbecuing a whole mackerel, you'll want to ensure the fish has been scaled and gutted first. Slash the flesh a few times, then season and drizzle with olive oil or your chosen marinade. You can also make diagonal cuts in each side of the fish, right through the bone, to create an opening for the marinade to penetrate the meat.

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Grilling mackerel

Mackerel is a great fish to cook on the barbecue. It has a tasty, robust flavour that stands up well to the smokiness of the grill. It's also an affordable fish, packed with nutritional benefits, including omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, protein and B vitamins.

When buying mackerel, look for bright, shiny, and slightly iridescent skin with a firm texture. The eyes should be clear and bulging, not sunken or cloudy, and the gills should be a vibrant red or pink. Fresh mackerel should have a clean, ocean-like smell, so be wary of any strong, fishy or sour odours.

Before grilling, start by rinsing the fish under cold water to remove any residual scales or blood. If your mackerel hasn't been gutted, make a shallow cut along the belly from the head to the tail, then remove the entrails and rinse the cavity thoroughly. Pat the fish dry with paper towels to ensure a crispy finish when cooking.

You can then make diagonal cuts in each side of the fish, all the way through to the bone. Season the fish with salt and pepper, and squeeze some lemon over it. You can also add other seasonings like garlic, ginger, basil or chicken bouillon powder.

When grilling, allow the flames to die down until the ashes have gone white with heat. Place the mackerel on a preheated barbecue, either directly or in a barbecue fish basket. Cook for around 3-7 minutes on each side, only turning the fish once during cooking. The fish is cooked when the flesh comes easily away from the bone, and the skin is crispy.

Mackerel is best served with sweet, earthy and acidic flavours to counteract the oily, smoky flavour of the fish. Try a beetroot salad, or a tangy tomato ceviche.

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Serving suggestions

There are many ways to serve mackerel cooked on a BBQ. Mackerel has a tasty, robust flavour that stands up well to the smokiness of a barbecue. To counteract the oily, smoky flavour of the mackerel, it is recommended to serve it with sweet, earthy and acidic flavours. For example, a simple beetroot salad or grilled mackerel with a tangy tomato ceviche.

  • Bruno Loubet’s simple beetroot salad
  • Robert Thompson's Grilled mackerel with a tangy tomato ceviche
  • Paul Ainsworth's Barbecued mackerel with celeriac mayonnaise
  • Monica Shaw's Grilled mackerel with beetroot and new potatoes
  • Chargrilled mackerel with sweet & sour beetroot
  • Grilled mackerel fillets in a punchy soy, honey, ginger and sake marinade
  • Grilled mackerel with escalivada & toasts
  • Mackerel & potato salad with lemon caraway dressing
  • Indonesian fried rice with mackerel
  • Spicy rice noodle salad with smoked mackerel
  • Grilled mackerel with garlic & lemon

Frequently asked questions

Fresh mackerel should have bright, shiny, and slightly iridescent skin with a firm texture. The eyes should be clear and bulging, and the gills should be a vibrant red or pink. The flesh should be moist and resilient to the touch. Additionally, fresh mackerel should have a clean, ocean-like smell.

Start by rinsing the fish under cold water to remove any residual scales or blood. If the mackerel hasn't been gutted, make a shallow cut along the belly and remove the entrails before rinsing the cavity and patting the fish dry. Depending on your recipe, you can leave the mackerel whole, fillet it, or portion it into steaks.

Light the barbecue and allow the flames to die down until the ashes have gone white with heat. Make sure the grill is clean and the fish is well-oiled to prevent sticking. Place the mackerel on the preheated barbecue and cook for 3-6 minutes on each side, only turning once. The fish is cooked when the flesh comes away from the bone easily.

To counteract the oily, smoky flavour of the mackerel, serve it with sweet, earthy, and acidic flavours. For example, a beetroot salad or a tangy tomato ceviche.

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